Jokingly called the dead center of the capital by some locals (as a result of the huge Yanaka Reien cemetery that many still refer to as Yanaka Bochi), Yanaka and its surrounds have a lot to offer to short-term visitors and long-time locals. This is one of many so-called downtown locations in Tokyo that should…

Worst-case scenario: You have been legally working in Japan and paying into a private insurance program. The coverage is minimal but you like the low premiums. April 2010 arrives and it is time to renew your working visa. A new immigration guideline now stipulates that you must show proof of being enrolled in one of…

Things were not always so good in the north. In 645 AD, Tohoku was given the official designation ‘Michi no oku no kuni,’ the ‘Land Beyond Roads,’ its inhabitants henceforth referred to as ‘Emishi’: Toad or Shrimp Barbarians. Historically, the degree of discrimination by Japanese against Japanese is extraordinary, and the northerners were not spared….

Denmark native Nicolai Bergmann is a household name when it comes to contemporary floral design in Japan. In fact, he’s quite a bit more than just that – he’s a brand name, and a pretty exclusive one at that. His illustrious, domestic and global projects and exhibitions aside, he’s collaborated with a host of clients…

This winter, you could head out to try your luck on the slopes, or perhaps you’d prefer to leave it to the pros. No matter which camp you fit into, this snow season won’t be complete without a trip to Fukushima from March 6 – 7 for the International Ski Federation’s Freestyle World Cup. This…

  Right in front of Hibiya Park, where you can also look out over the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya is finally open to the public. Enjoy the greenery of the Park View Terrace on the 6th floor or take in the largest cinema complex in the city, TOHO cinemas, located on the 5th and…

As the former imperial capital of Japan, Kyoto holds a special place in Japanese history and architecture. It was one of the few cities in Japan spared from the intense firebombing during WWII since it was deemed an important cultural asset.  Because of this, numerous old-fashioned temples and shrines, raked pebble gardens and private teahouses…

There aren’t that many neighborhoods of Tokyo that bring to mind the image of a single person as much as the Shibamata neighborhood. The working-class folk from Adachi, Sumida, Edogawa, and Arakawa go so far as to refer to this area in Tokyo’s extreme northeast as “downtown” – their own status in the eyes of…

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has been quite vocal about his party’s pledge to cut carbon emissions in Japan by 25 percent over the next ten years. Offering tax breaks for eco-friendly companies, households and cars are amongst his policies to achieve this. However, it would appear the PM has neglected one sure-fire way to achieve…

Japanese society is in a constant state of flux, riding the peaks and troughs of the economic wave, and taking cues from the west that suit Japanese sensibilities and rejecting those that don’t. As society evolves, so does its vocabulary. New words and expressions keep popping up on TV variety shows, in songs, bars and…